Obama’s Speech Changes No Minds in Congress

Sen. Carl Levin (D – MI) has today warned against the overwhelming public opposition to a US attack on Syria actually stopping them from approving the war, saying Congress has to threaten to attack Syria in some form in a future resolution.

Levin’s comments echoed those of other hawks, but the reality is that public opinion is driving the votes, especially in the House, and his position has lost. Congress will not approve a war on Syria.

President Obama’s Tuesday night speech was supposed to be the decisive case for war, and it too has failed, with nary an opponent of the war swayed by the comments, even if they reinforced the position of the few hawks out there like Levin.

This week was to be the war party’s great victory, turning the tide of a war weary public as AIPAC threw its weight behind the war to ensure Congressional support. Ultimately, all of that has only increased public opposition to the war, and the defeat of the resolution in Congress is more apparent than ever, assuming the hawks ever bother to even attempt a vote. Six more Senators are now “no” votes, and four more in the House just since the speech, suggesting the momentum continues, but against the war.

Author: Jason Ditz

Levin, get out of AMERICA'S Congress and move to Israel. You have divided loyalty, if even that. This shows the wisdom of the founders in prohibiting foreign born people from being president of the United States. These foreign loyalties border on the treasonous. (And take Feinstein, Boxer, Harman, Lieberman with you)

zouppie

Fortunately, Carl Levin is retiring after this term. Unfortunately, his brother, Congressman Sander Levin, is waiting in the wings to assume the mantle of Michigan's very own Chuckie Schumer, Eric Cantor and Debbie Wasserman Schultz all rolled into one.

Bob D

Why is it that a Jew can openly and transparently favor Israel over American interests without being branded un-American while openly favoring American interests over Israel will get Zionist fanatics using that fraudulent word "Antisemetic" implying a racial prejudice against semites?

John V. Walsh

Great post by Jason, as usual.
Levin has posed for years as a moderate.
He has been a hawk for years.
He has appeared for years at events at Swarthmore, a very antiwar college and his alma mater.
There should be demonstrations against his presence there.
WAKE UP, SWARTHMORE.
He is an unabashed champion of US Empire and (another) Israel firster. Perhaps he should leave the Senate now and run for the Knesset.

Druthers

When AIPAC says "Jump" the only answer is, "how high?"
Someday there is going to be blow-back and it may be terrible.